One day near the beginning of The Siege, twenty-two people were killed by a mortar attack. Those twenty-two people were all in line, waiting for bread. Their only sin was simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time, wanting to feed their families. When the mortar struck, a man we know solely as The Cellist was made witness. For the next twenty-two days, he plays Albonini's Adagio in the same place they died.
This act seems careless, reckless, and stupid to many people in the once beautiful city of Sarajevo. But as time wears on, The Cellist becomes a symbol of hope for the war-torn citizens of the community. He reminds them of what Sarajevo used to be, and hints at what it might become. For the people, driven to desperation by the lengthy conflict, The Cellist's music is a display of profound humanity, something that seems only a shadow of a past that might have been.The residents of Sarajevo live with the threat of death present at every moment, as the city is constantly attacked by bombs, mortars, and snipers. Through the book's four characters, Galloway masterfully depicts the struggles of war, and the atrocities witnessed by all the victims of the conflict.
The Cellist of Sarajevo questions the meanings of both hatred and love, sacrifice and forgiveness. In a time ravaged by war, the Cellist symbolises so much more than just recognition of those who have fallen. He represents and gives meaning to the promise of a future. He gives hope where none can be found. His music not only gives respect for the dead, but a purpose for those still alive.
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